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MIS to REALMS migration guidance

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Published: 16 October 2023

Version: 1

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NETSCC MIS (Management Information System) is now closed and all related awards and activities are being transferred to our new system, REALMS (REsearch Awards Lifecycle Management System). We will contact MIS users when the transfer is complete with details of how to log in and access REALMS.

Please read our MIS to REALMS migration guidance for information on how ongoing activity will be managed to minimise impact on you and your teams during the migration period.

Progress reporting

  • all progress reporting should now be completed in REALMS 
  • you will find any pending reports assigned to you in your Action Items on your home page
  • if you have not received communications informing you that your active awards are now available to access in REALMS please contact the monitoring team

Project support meetings

  • if you have video conferences booked with us during the migration period, these will continue as usual

Updates to project information

  • all new updates to project information and documentation should now be made in REALMS. Use the UPDATE INFORMATION buttons on tasks in the ‘Start Up’ section on the PROJECT INFORMATION tab to do this. 
  • historical information and documentation will continue to be uploaded in the background

Contract variations and changes to programme

  • where contract variations or changes to programme are less urgent, we will ask you to wait and complete a task to apply for these in REALMS after the award migration process is complete
  • our review of submitted variation or change to programme requests will continue with communications by email if necessary
  • the processing of outcomes and raising of variation documents will in most cases be picked up after migration is complete
  • the signature process for approved variations will continue as usual via DocuSign

Submitting final contractual outputs

  • submission of final contractual outputs during the migration period (draft final reports, NIHR journal articles or synopses) should be done via email to your regular Monitoring or Publications Team contact

Revisions and response to editorial comments for final contractual outputs

  • submission of manuscript revisions, responses to reviewer or editorial comments from the start of the migration period should be sent to your assigned Publications Team contact - via email

Notification of upcoming research outputs

  • reporting of outputs for completed/published awards should also be made by email to your regular Publications Team contact.
  • A second phase of migration will take place early in the new year to move completed and published awards data from MIS to REALMS
  • active awards can provide details of research outputs via the relevant project record in REALMS. Use the ADD NEW OUTPUT button on the PROJECT OUTPUT tab to do this
  • annual reporting of outputs, outcomes and impacts via Researchfish should continue as usual 

MIS to REALMS migration Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If we get frequently asked questions about the above or any of our communications around the migration process from MIS to REALMS, we will include them here.

Q. What is my REALMS Log In and Password?

If you already have a REALMS account, please log in as usual. If this is your first time using REALMS, head to the ‘Forgot Password?’ link to request a password. You will need to enter the email address you previously used as your Login for MIS.

Q. Where is my ORCID and CV information?

The NIHR is a member organization of ORCID and supports the use of ORCID iDs where possible. Instead of storing CV, grants and outputs data, REALMS connects with ORCID to access this information when needed.  That way, you only need to enter and update your information in one place, once.  

We are unable to transfer your ORCID from MIS to REALMS, due to the specific authorisation required by ORCID for REALMS to access your information. You will therefore need to reconnect ORCID to your profile. Linking your ORCID will enable grants and outputs data to be imported into REALMS.  

When you are logged in to REALMS, click on My Profile, go to the ORCID tab and follow the instructions on screen.

Q. I have a research suggestion. How can I submit this?

You can make a research suggestion to help shape our research by completing our suggest a research topic form.